2 Chronicles 11

Shemaiah’s Prophecy

(1 Kings 12:20–24)

1When RehoboamH7346 arrivedH935 in JerusalemH3389, he mobilizedH6950 the houseH1004 of JudahH3063 and BenjaminH1144—180,000H3967H8084H505 chosenH977H6213 warriorsH4421—to fightH3898 againstH5973 IsraelH3478 and restoreH7725 the kingdomH4467 to RehoboamH7346. 2But the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 toH413 ShemaiahH8098 the manH376 of GodH430: 3“TellH559 RehoboamH7346 sonH1121 of SolomonH8010 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 andH413 allH3605 the IsraelitesH3478 in JudahH3063 and BenjaminH1144 4that this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559: ‘You are notH3808 to go upH5927H3808 and fightH3898 againstH5973 your brothersH251. EachH376 of you must returnH7725 homeH1004, forH3588 thisH2088H1697 isH1961 My doingH854.’”

So they listenedH8085 to the wordsH1697 of the LORDH3068 and turned backH7725 from goingH1980 againstH413 JeroboamH3379.

Rehoboam Fortifies Judah

5RehoboamH7346 livedH3427 in JerusalemH3389, and he built upH1129 citiesH5892 for defenseH4692 in JudahH3063. 6He built upH1129 BethlehemH1035, EtamH5862, TekoaH8620, 7Beth-zurH1049, SocoH7755, AdullamH5725, 8GathH1661, MareshahH4762, ZiphH2128, 9AdoraimH115, LachishH3923, AzekahH5825, 10ZorahH6881, AijalonH357, and HebronH2275, the fortifiedH4694 citiesH5892 in JudahH3063 and BenjaminH1144. 11He strengthenedH2388 their fortificationsH4694 and putH5414 officersH5057 in them, with suppliesH214 of foodH3978, oilH8081, and wineH3196. 12He also put shieldsH6793 and spearsH7420 in allH3605 the citiesH5892 and strengthened themH2388 greatlyH7235H3966. So JudahH3063 and BenjaminH1144 belongedH1961 to him.

Jeroboam Forsakes the Priests and Levites

13Moreover, the priestsH3548 and LevitesH3881 fromH834 allH3605 their districtsH1366 throughoutH3605 IsraelH3478 stoodH3320 with RehoboamH5921. 14ForH3588 the LevitesH3881 leftH5800 their pasturelandsH4054 and their possessionsH272 and wentH1980 to JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389, becauseH3588 JeroboamH3379 and his sonsH1121 had rejected themH2186 as priestsH3547 of the LORDH3068. 15And Jeroboam appointedH5975 his own priestsH3548 for the high placesH1116 and for the goat demonsH8163 and calf idolsH5695 he had madeH6213.

16Those from everyH3605 tribeH7626 of IsraelH3478 who had setH5414 their heartsH3824 to seekH1245 the LORDH3068 theirH3478 GodH430 followedH310H935 the Levites to JerusalemH3389 to sacrificeH2076 to the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of their fathersH1. 17So they strengthenedH2388 the kingdomH4438 of JudahH3063 and supportedH553 RehoboamH7346 sonH1121 of SolomonH8010 for threeH7969 yearsH8141, becauseH3588 they walkedH1980 for threeH7969 yearsH8141 in the wayH1870 of DavidH1732 and SolomonH8010.

Rehoboam’s Family

18And RehoboamH7346 marriedH3947H802 MahalathH4258, who was the daughterH1121 of David’sH1732 sonH1121 JerimothH3406 and of AbihailH32, the daughterH1323 of Jesse’sH3448 sonH1121 EliabH446. 19She boreH3205 sonsH1121 to him: JeushH3266, ShemariahH8114, and ZahamH2093.

20After herH310, he marriedH3947 MaacahH4601 daughterH1323 of AbsalomH53, and she boreH3205 to him AbijahH29, AttaiH6262, ZizaH2124, and ShelomithH8019. 21RehoboamH7346 lovedH157 MaacahH4601 daughterH1323 of AbsalomH53 more than allH3605 his wivesH802 and concubinesH6370H3588. In all, he hadH5375 eighteenH8083H6240 wivesH802 and sixtyH8346 concubinesH6370, and he was the fatherH3205 of twenty-eightH6242H8083 sonsH1121 and sixtyH8346 daughtersH1323.

22RehoboamH7346 appointedH5975 AbijahH29 sonH1121 of MaacahH4601 as chiefH7218 princeH5057 among his brothersH251, intending to make him kingH3588H4427. 23Rehoboam also acted wiselyH995 by dispersingH6555 some of his sonsH1121 throughoutH3605 the districtsH776 of JudahH3063 and BenjaminH1144H3605, and to allH3605 the fortifiedH4694 citiesH5892. He gaveH5414 them abundantH7230 provisionsH4202 and soughtH7592 manyH1995 wives for themH802.